German Chancellor Scholz Visits India: Boosting Ties

New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will pay a three-day visit to India beginning Thursday to hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a focus on boosting bilateral strategic ties, including in the areas of defence, trade and clean energy.

Scholz travelled to India twice last year -- for a bilateral state visit in February and to attend the G20 Leaders' summit in September.

On October 25, the prime minister and the chancellor will co-chair the seventh Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC).

Chancellor Scholz will be accompanied by senior ministers in his cabinet for the IGC consultations.

The IGC is a whole-of-government framework under which ministers from both sides hold discussions in their respective areas of responsibility and report on the outcome of their deliberations to the prime minister and the chancellor.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Scholz will pay an official visit to India from October 24 to 26 at the invitation of PM Modi.

"Both leaders will hold bilateral talks to discuss enhanced security and defence cooperation, greater opportunities for mobility of talent, deeper economic cooperation, green and sustainable development partnership and collaboration in the area of emerging and strategic technologies," it said.

"Discussions will also focus on important regional and global developments," the MEA said.

It said both leaders will also address the 18th Asia Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2024) being held in New Delhi on October 25.

The APK, a biennial event for business leaders, executives, and political representatives from Germany and the countries in the Indo-Pacific, is expected to give a further fillip to trade and investment ties between the two countries, the MEA said.

About 650 top business leaders and CEOs from Germany, India and other countries are expected to participate in the event.

Chancellor Scholz will also travel to Goa, where the German naval frigate "Baden-Wuerttemberg" and combat support ship "Frankfurt am Main" will make a scheduled port call as part of Germany's Indo-Pacific deployment.

"India and Germany have a strategic partnership since 2000. Over the years, this partnership has deepened and diversified across various sectors," the MEA said.

The two countries are celebrating 50 years of science and technology collaboration this year.

"As we enter the 25th year of strategic partnership, the visit of Chancellor Scholz will pave the way for further strengthening of our bilateral ties," the MEA said.